PH bringing transport system up to global standards

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Cambodia-Korea FTA takes effect
The Cambodia-Korea bilateral free trade agreement FTA is expected to help promote long-term partnerships and strengthen economic partnerships, particularly market access of Cambodian exports to the Korean market. Photo by //unsplash.com/@nessa_rin?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Rinson Chory on Unsplash
  • The Philippines will bring its transport system up to international standards while ensuring safety, efficiency, and sustainability of the people and goods it transports
  • DOTr engineer Enrico C. Ferre highlighted the country’s goal to advance and improve its transportation performance at the 43rd ASEAN MTWG meeting in Vietnam
  • The Philippines also thanked the IMO for its help in addressing the country’s marine environmental issues relating to shipping by implementing IMO conventions

The Philippines is committed to bringing its transport system up to global standards, the country’s delegation to the 43rd ASEAN Maritime Transport Working Group Meeting in Vietnam said recently.

Engr. Enrico C. Ferre of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), who led the delegation, highlighted the country’s intention to advance and improve its transportation performance in an address to the MTWG meeting held in Nha Trang on September 20-22.

“Under the new leadership of the Department of Transportation, together with the whole maritime sector, the Philippines is committed to transform our transport system and elevate it to global standards, as well as enhance maritime connectivity and mobility, including better port access, to deliver safe, comfortable, accessible, and efficient transport,” Ferre said.

The 43rd ASEAN MTWG Meeting is the first physical meeting of the ASEAN MTWG since the COVID-19 pandemic began two years ago. The meeting discussed the following:

  • Decisions made during the ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting (STOM) held in June 2022;
  • Progress of implementation of maritime-transport related measures under the Kuala Lumpur Transport Strategic Plan (KLTSP);
  • COVID-19-related initiatives;
  • MTWG’s work plan;
  • Cooperation with transport-affiliated private sector organizations and dialogue partners,
  • ASEAN’s partnership with the IMO; and
  • Other emerging issues relating to maritime transport

The meeting was attended by delegates from ASEAN member states Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Representatives from the ASEAN transport-affiliated private sector organizations and dialogue partners Japan, China, South Korea, United States, European Union, India, and International Maritime Organization (IMO) also attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, the Philippines thanked the IMO for helping the country address marine environmental issues relating to shipping by implementing IMO conventions.

These conventions, in particular, are the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships (AFS Convention) and the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention).

The Philippines is one of the lead partnering countries (LPC) in the Marine Environment Protection of the Southeast Asian Seas (MEPSEAS) project, with the Maritime Industry Authority as its national focal point. MEPSEAS ends in December 2022.

During the plenary session, the country’s delegation underscored that the MEPSEAS Project is a clear demonstration of the continued commitment of the ASEAN countries to move towards a sustainable maritime transport system and to address significant marine environmental issues by effectively implementing conventions on marine environmental protection in Southeast Asia.

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